Install Windows 7 from USB DVD drive?

[Classic600X]

Hello,

I am going to visit my friend in Spain this weekend. He has a new X230. He wants me to bring 4GB RAM, an SSD and a USB DVD-RW drive with me and install them for him. I'm about to order the components, but I have a couple of questions;

1. Can you install Windows on the X230 via a USB DVD drive? I've never used a USB DVD drive before as I have a docking station for my own X220.

2. He did not receive install media with his laptop so I am planning to taking a Windows 7 Pro with SP1 DVD with me. Can I just activate it using the Windows 7 Pro licence sticker on his laptop?

Thank you in advance.

[Brad]

Yes you can install the OS from the USB DVD drive.

If the X230 is happily running now I would simply use the existing install by making an image of the drive or cloning the drive. This would save time for more sangria.

If recovery media has not been created from the X230 yet you could also create the recovery media which would require a few blank DVD's. Using this recovery media you could then install the OS using the USB DVD drive.

Brad

[MikeCL]

yep you can install it.. heck I've done things like install Windows 7 from a USB to IDE or USB to SATA.